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Senator Snowe

Dana Milbank, a Washington Post columnist who writes the “Washington Sketch,” talks about Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, the sole Republican on the Finance Committee to vote in favor of the Health Care Reform bill.

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Comments [14]

Walter Cheslock
from Long Island

Easy one: what will the TAX PAYERS get for a TRILLION DOLLARS? Especially in light of there be no hope for a public option, never mind actual health care. KNOWONE has touched on this. I commute 5 hr a day, and listen to everything from WBAI(Boy, I thought listening to NPR was depressing!!) NPR, Air America, Howard Savage, Hannity etc. Everyone screams against the other side, but knowone talks about what a TRILLION DOLLARS will get anyone. (excepth the insurance companies).

As long as competition is not allowed amongst health insurance companies there will be no savings or cost controls. Even if there is we see that large companies collude to control prices across the spectrum.

Also, if the Republicans want to threaten a filibuster the Dems should force the filibuster.

As for the gentleman in VA, the answers to his question are the same whether health care & health insurance are reformed into affordable options for the entire population. Good people, employed people lose their health insurance every day, by the thousands.

If he wants health care in which our Congressional Reps would enroll then he should by definition be supporting the public option as they all have a public health care plan.

We already have massive health care rationing. Among other indications, there are several studies that indicate that the US has thousands too few doctors, and a shortage of nurses, and too few community health care clinics.

Of course everyone knows that health care costs rise at an annual rate close to triple the rate of inflation. The gentleman from VA's costs are going to rise regardless.

People like that on the other side of the debate make it impossible to talk through the situation. One word answers are not adequate for a problem of this magnitude.

Do you realize how sad this entire debate over bipartisanship has become? Today we presume each party moves in lockstep, but twenty years ago one might have expected more productive votes along regional and philosophical grounds. Ten conservative democrats would have voted with 30 pragmatic republicans against the bill, and 14 progressive republicans for the bill. A real debate and compromise would be the result. Now we are all hostage to political theater- and our nation suffers as a result.

Dana Milbank made a remarkable admission: he's only interested in the politics of the health care debate, not policy, and doesn't know much about policy, he isn't following it.

Is there any better explanation for why Americans simply can't get news from the national media any longer?

Could that ignorance be thanks to dozens of multi-millionaire "reporters" and "commentators" like Dana Milbank, who have no interest in policy because they have nothing to worry about themselves -- they're rich, their children don't serve in the military, etc. -- and consequently they view politics as entertainment and snark?

There are still federal lawsuits pending on this including one or more at the US Supreme Court (not SCOTUS).

10. Can you promise me that if Obama signs this legislation that it will not be subjected to a winning court challenge of its legitimacy given that he is not a legal citizen of the United States of America having been born in Kenya when his Mom was not allowed to fly home late in her pregnancy and then later on he was made an Indonesian citizen (never renounced) as “Barry Soetoro” (his legal name, never changed back to BHO) when he was adopted by his step father. NO - because has never shown an original birth certificate. The one posted on the web was pulled because it was proven by experts to be a digital fraud. Then the “Obama” campaign posted a smaller, blurrier one which also proved to be verifiably fraudulent.

Some additional questions for Senator Snowe and reporters (including you Brian) covering this issue (and not just rooting for Obama and the liberal fascist Dems:

6. Can you promise me that my health care costs will not go up? NO - they can’t.7. Can you promise me that my current level of care will not go down? NO - they can’t.8. Can you promise me that, if we undertake this expensive and potentially disastrous course of action that all qualified citizens or legal aliens will be covered? NO - Only ¼ to 1/3 of those w/o coverage will be covered, despite this extraordinary effort.9. Can you promise me that if we undertake this expensive and potentially disastrous course of action that illegal aliens will not be covered or in the alternative will be treated, arrested and deported as soon as they a medically stable? NO - they can’t.

Some questions for Senator Snowe and reporters covering this issue (and not just rooting for Obama and the liberal fascist Dems:1. Can you promise me that I will not lose my current plan and doctor? NO - they can’t.2. Will members of Congress enroll in the public plan? NO - they won’t.3. Can you guarantee that Obamacare will not lead to higher deficits in the long term? NO - they can’t, because it will.4. Will there be rationing of health care for patients on the public plan? YES it will.5. Can you promise that my tax dollars will not fund abortions? NO - they can’t.

We should fix what is broken - and not breaks what works for 85% of the people of this great country. By passing tort reform and going after fraud and abuse we can save enough money to pay for the health care of all those who don’t have it. By ignoring these issues the Dems just prove that this is a power grab, not a “reform.”

Col. Joshua Chamberlain (educator and Governor) and the brave men 20th Maine saved this country in 1863 at the Battle of Little Round Top at Gettysburg. Olympia Snowe has taken action to destroy this country. She is a coward, a loser, a traitor and, from what I can see of this bill (since the liberal fascist Dems have been hiding it from everyone including their own members since day one) she is also an idiot. I just left a message for the President of LL Bean canceling my 36 year relationship with this great Maine company and icon. I don't vote in Maine, but until she's gone I will take my vacations and business else-where and told Gov. Baldacci the same yesterday.

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